World Cup Demand For Houston Hotels Falling Short Despite Double-Digit Increases
Houston hotel demand is falling short of expectations a month before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kickoff.
About 70% of Houston hotels report a booking pace below World Cup expectations, though still broadly in line with a typical June or July, according to a report from the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
“Booking pace has been more measured compared to what many anticipated for a global event of this scale,” Emre Ozsut, director of sales for The Lancaster Hotel in Downtown Houston, told the Houston Business Journal.
Local hotels are seeing an uptick in bookings compared to last year, according to data from Houston First. Bookings for June are up 9.1%, and bookings for July are up 11%.
Gains are much more pronounced in the Downtown Houston submarket, where booking pace is up 38% for June and 63% for July compared to the year prior, the HBJ reported.
The World Cup starts June 11 and ends July 19. Seven matches will be played at Houston's NRG Stadium, and a FIFA Fan Fest will be in East Downtown throughout the tournament.
Heightened demand for Downtown hotels was expected, given its proximity to events, Houston First CEO Michael Heckman told the HBJ.
Downtown hoteliers say bookings are looking good but not great.
“What we’re seeing is better than last year but not the meaningful spike that everybody has promised or was talked about in the last six months to 12 months leading up to June,” JW Marriott Houston Downtown General Manager Jelle Vandenbroucke said.
The JW Marriott underwent a multimillion-dollar expansion to add 56 guest rooms and 10K SF of meeting space ahead of the World Cup.
Across all 11 U.S. host cities, 80% of survey respondents said bookings are tracking below initial forecasts. About two-thirds of respondents cited visa barriers and geopolitical concerns as factors reducing international travel demand.
“Fans who cannot get a visa or who fear the entry process will simply watch from home or go to matches in Canada and Mexico instead,” Suraj Bhakta, CEO of hospitality-focused brokerage NewGen Advisory, told Bisnow last month.
The U.S. was the only major destination with a decline in international travelers last year, coming up 11 million visitors short of expectations. Even if it met expectations, the World Cup has been described as a “nice shot in the arm” that won’t substantially impact hotel industry performance.
